Jointed figure toy



April 16, 1929. 1,709,432

JOINTED FIGURE TOY Filed March 2, 1927 gwumtoya Patented Apr. 16, 1929.

1,709,432 UNITED STATES P 'rEnroFncE."

EDGAR FRANKLIN HILL, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

JOINTED FIGURE TOY.

Application filed March 2, 1927. ScrialN'o. 172,100.

The present invention relates to articulat-ed stuffed cloth toys, such as animal and other figure toys, dolls, and the like, and aims generally to improve such toys.

An especial object of the invention is to improve the joints of such toys, particularly that between the head and body, by providing a strong, simple, and efiicient means for connecting two articulated portions whereby one portion may be easily and quickly adjuste'd to any one of a large number of angular positions with respect to the other portion, and thereby increase the attractiveness and salability of the toy.

Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from the following description of the toydog depicted in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the toy showing the head in two positions,

Fig. 2 is an enlar ed fragment-a1. sectional view illustrating the manner of connecting the head and body portions together, and

Fig. 3 a disassembled view of the.

several parts constituting the improved connection.

Referring to the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the

toy comprises the body portion having a fabric casing 10'and a fibrous stuffing 11, and a head portion having a fabric casing 12 and a fibrous stufiing 13. The casings 10 and 12 are suitably shaped and decorated to resemble a desired object, herein illustrated as a dog.

According to my invention the improved connecting means, herein illustrated as between the body and head portions, permits relative movement and adjustment of one portion both rotativel about the axis of the connection and anguliirly' in all directions crosswise or diametrically of the axis ofthe connection, and also permits relative movement in an orbital path around the axis of the connection, or any combination of two or more of these adjustments. In the illustrated form of the invention, the connection comprises multiple dished-shaped discs in frictional engagement with each other, and held together centrally so as to constitute a floating universal connection or joint. As shown in the drawings, thedisc member 14 is suitably secured within and to the casing 12 so that its convex face is adjacent the body, and the disc member 15 is suitably secured with and to the neck portion of the presented to the convex face of the disc 14 on the head. The disc member 15 is provided with an enlarged central opening 16, herein shownras a circular opening, and is pierced by a suitable fastening means, as for instance a stud 17, carried by the disc 14 and of materially less diameter than the opening 16. An anchor disc 18. is loosely mounted on the stud 17 and frictionally en-. gages the innerconvex face of the body disc 15. In order to reduce the friction between the head and body portions to a degree sufiicient to hold the head in any of its adjusted positions, and to permit of easier movement of the head to adjust it, I provide a spacer disc 19, of reduced diameter with respect to the discs 14 and 15, secured-to the stud 17 and interposed'between the discs 14 and 15. T husthe frictional contact between the discs "14 and 15 isproportionate to the area of the disc 19, the size of which may be varied dependent upon the purpose desired.

Means are advantageously provided for holding thediscs in yielding frictional engagement with each other, and according to the illustrated form of the invention, a spring 20 surrounds the stud 17 between the rearface of the anchor disc 18 anda removable stop member 21, as for instance a washer, secured to the stud by suitable means, as for instance a screw 22 threaded into the stud 17. This construction permits of yielding frictional engagement of the several discs to hold the head in its adjusted 1. An improved toy figure comprising a] stuffed cloth body and a stuffed cloth head, said body and head having interfitting convex and concave portions, and means for movably connecting said body and head position, and also permits of movements of including relatively 'movable cooperating convex and concave members attached to the convex and concave portions respectively, one of said members carrying a stud and the other an enlarged opening through which said stud extends. whereby said head may be turned axially with respect to the body or adjusted angularly with respect thereto, or both, resilient means on. the stud for urging said members together, a second convex member carried by said stud and frictionally engaging the rear face of said concave member and cooperatingwithsaid resilient means to hold said head in any oi its adjusted positions.

2. An improved toy figure-coin n'ising a stuffed cloth body anda stufl'edcloth head,

said body and head 12 having interfittin g convex and concave portionsnand means for connecting said body and head'including a convex member 14- oii: relatively stiff: material within the head member and conforming to the convex portionzth'ereof, aconcave member 15 of relatively stiff material within the. concave portion of thebody, a stud memberl? carried by the convex member of the head. and extending rearwardly through the conave member within the body, a member 18 of sheet material carried by said stud rearwa 'rdly ot' said concave member and shaped to frictionally cooperate with the adjacent face of said concavemembcr, said concave member 15-being formed with an enlarged opening 16" surrounding-said stud whereby said head may be turned axially with respect to said body oradjustcd angularly with respect thereto, or both, and resilient means on the stud for urging, said members together whereby to hold said head in. any of its adjusted positions.

3. An improved toy figure comprising a stuffed cloth body anda stuilied cloth head, said body 10 and head 12 havinginterfib tingconvex and concave portions and means for connecting said body and head including a convex men'iber'l l; of relatively stiff material within t-he, head member and conforming to the convex portion thereof, a concave member lo of relatively stiff material within the concave portion of the body, a stud member 17 carried by the convex member of the head and extending rearwardlythrough the concave member within the body, a member 18bit sheet material carried by said concave member and being shaped to frictionally cooperate with the adjacent face of said concave member, said concave member 15 being formed with an enlarged opening 16 projecting therefrom, a concave me;

stuii ed cloth body andjmeans .movably connecting said body surrounding-said stud whereby said head may be turned axially with respect to said body or adjusted angularly with respect thereto, or both, anabutincnt 21 on the end of the stud, and spring means between the abutment 21 and the member 18 for urging said members together to hold said head in any of its adjusted positions.

4. An improved toy figure comprising a stuffed cloth body and a stuiied cloth head and means movably connecting said body and head pern'iitting of adjustment of one relative to the other to any one oi: many positions, said means including, a convex member secured to the head and having a longitudinal stud extending. rearwardly therefrom, a concave member secured to said body and loosely surrounding said stud, a spacing member surrounding said stud and interposed between said convex and concave means and resilient means surrounding said SLUCl for urging said convex and concave members into frictional engagement with each other.

5. In an'improved stufi ed cloth toy figure, a. means for securing, relatively movable parts thereof together for universal adjustmentcomp'rising a convex member secured to one part and havin a fastening-member L D t, j

g or

part an d. member,

secured to the other cooperating loosely surrounding said fastenin a spacingmember surrounding said fastening. member and interposed between said convex and concave members, and means associated with said fastening means; for resiliently holding-said members in yielding assembled relation. 1

6. An improved toy figure comprising a and a stuffed cloth head and head permitting oi adjustment oi one relative to the other to any one of many positions, said means including a convex member. securedto the head and having a longitudinal stud extending rearwardly therefrom, aconcave member secured to said body and loosely surrounding said stud a spacing member surrounding said stud and interposed between said convex and concave means, said spacing member being of smaller size than either the convex or concave members thereby to decrease the area of frictional contact between them, and means for holding said members in assembled relation.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDGAR FRANKLIN HILL. 

